Homeopathic Materia Medica by Farrington

LITHIUM CARBONICUM

(lith-c)

Lithium carb. has not a very extensive range of action. It is particularly useful in affections of the joints. It does have very much depreciating effect on the vital forces. It is efficacious in rheumatism and, above all, in some forms of gout. In its provings, debility is noticed only in connection with or as a sort of sequel of the joint affection. Of the various organs attacked by Lithium carb., the most important in the order of their importance are the heart, stomach, kidneys and bladder. The mucous membranes are also affected by the drug. At first, they are unduly dry; and this dryness is followed later by thick mucous secretion. The skin does not escape. It is attacked by erythema with itching of the skin. This appears particularly about the joints and is very annoying. It is particularly noticed along with rheumatism. Further than this, Lithium carb. may produce roughness of the skin and an eruption about the face resembling barbers' itch.

Studying now the symptoms of the drug with this general action before us, we find confusion of the head, headache on the vertex and on the temples, worse on awaking, the eyes pain as if sore, and difficulty in keeping the eyelids open. This vertex headache and soreness of the eyes follow suppression of the menses. The patient has pain from the left temple into the orbit of that side, relieved while eating and worse after eating.

A very characteristic symptom of the retina, or rather of vision, is, the right half of objects vanishes.

In keeping with its effect on mucous membranes, we find the drug causing conjunctival asthenopia, just as does ALUMINA. The conjunctiva of both lids and eyeball, is painfully dry and the eyes feel sore when the patient reads.

The nose is affected, too, in the Lithium proving, being swollen and red. Sometimes, there is dryness of the nose when in the house, and mucus dropping from it when in the open air; or mucus seems to hang in strings from the posterior nares. Another symptom of Lithium is sensitiveness of the mucous membrane when the inspired air is unduly cold.

Lithium cures a cough which seems to come from a certain spot in the throat.

There is a form of gastralgia which Lithium will cure. It is accompanied by pain in the left temple and orbit, which is better by eating.

Lithium has some effect on the bowels. Drinking chocolate or cocoa will cause diarrhoea.

Lithium irritates the neck of the bladder. This you know is often a symptom of rheumatic patients. The urine is turbid and flocculent. The pains extend down either ureter and into the spermatic cords or testicles, and are followed by red urine with mucous deposit.

In the female, you find Lithium carb. indicated when the menses are late and scanty. The provers found that all the symptoms accompanying the irregularity in menstruation were on the left side.

Now, we will consider the rheumatic symptoms of Lithium carb. including under this head, those of the heart also. I have succeeded in several instances in relieving chronic rheumatic patients by this remedy. The symptoms which indicate the drug are these : Rheumatic soreness about the heart. Valvular deposits will be found in many instances. Mental agitation causes fluttering of the heart. Very marked is the pain in the heart when the patient bends forwards. The cardiac muscle is evidently irritated, for we find shocks or jerks about the heart. The cardiac pains are relieved when the patient urinates.

Now the symptoms of the body, joints, and limbs. Tenderness with swelling and occasional redness of the last joints of the fingers, clumsiness in walking from unwieldiness of the muscles; intense itching on the sides of the feet and hands without any apparent cause. The pains in the joints are usually worse in the knee- , ankle- , and finger-joints. The whole body feels stiff and sore as if beaten. Pains go down the limbs. The whole body increases in weight and becomes puffy. I may say that this puffiness is not due to a healthy fat, but is a flabby condition which belongs to all the alkalies.

GETTYSBURGSPRINGWATER which contains carbonate of lithia is very efficacious in scrofulous children when there are ulcers about the joints, as in Pott's disease, and hip-joint disease, when there are offensive pus and diarrhoea.

This character of the catarrh of Lithium carb. in which the inspired air feels cold is also found under KALIBICH. and CORALLIUMRUBRUM.

KALIBICHROMICUM, SEPIA, and TEUCRIUM have catarrh, with expectoration of solid chunks from the posterior nares.

In valvular deposits in the heart you may compare Lithium carb. with LEDUM, KALMIA, and BENZOICACID, the latter remedy being selected by the offensive character of the urine.

ZINCUM, CONIUM and AURUM have sudden jerks or shocks about the heart.

In rheumatism and gout, you may compare KALMIA and CALCAREAOSTREARUM, which resemble Lithium in the rheumatism of the finger-joints.

When there are nodular swellings in the joints, compare CALCAREAOSTREARUM, BENZOICACID, LYCOPODIUM, and AMMONIUMPHOS.